In the game of golf, a putter is generally the club of choice once the ball lands on or near the green. The green is a putting surface that surrounds the hole where the grass is closely mown to create a relatively smooth surface. While in golf vernacular the putter is known as the “flat stick,” that is not necessarily an accurate description. Almost every putter has some degree of loft built into the face. This loft is necessary because even on the fastest of greens, the ball sits or rests slightly down in the grass and not level with the surface. Loft is necessary to lift the ball out of that slight depression in the grass and get it rolling as quickly as possible. The proper loft for the type of grass and the player's style contributes greatly to the quality and speed of the roll.
When viewing a close-up of golf balls rolling on greens, it is very apparent that there are marked differences between puts. Some puts track with a desirable tight end-over-end roll while others wobble as they roll. While the angle of the club face at impact and the proximity to the club's “sweet spot” contribute to roll, the most important variable to attaining a tight roll is the loft of the putter face at impact. During a put the club head approaches the ball at a much lower speed than most other golf shots. The impact of the face with the ball lasts approximately 0.5 milliseconds. The loft of the putter lifts the ball off of the surface of the green and imparts a small amount of back spin. The ball remains in flight for up to several inches before it lands back on the green. The ball then generally skids for several inches before finally taking on its true roll. Therefore, the loft of the club at impact as opposed to the built-in putter loft is the critical factor. Since the impact only lasts approximately 0.5 milliseconds, this is difficult to observe precisely without sophisticated equipment.
Consistency in putting requires a smooth even backswing and downswing through impact with the ball. Players with too little loft on their putters tend to subconsciously compensate by hitting up on the ball to increase the loft at impact. Other players with too much club loft tend to hit down on the ball to decrease loft on impact. This compensation leads to inconsistency in putting as it is difficult to repeat consistently. Additionally, greens made of grasses such as Bermuda grass tend to be thicker than other grasses requiring a greater loft to adequately hit the ball out of the deeper depression.
Consequently, there exists a need for an adjustable golf putter that allows a player to adapt the club to his particular swing and the different variety of grasses used on golf greens. Without the need for additional putter clubs or expensive monitoring equipment, the present invention allows a player to easily adjust his putter to fit his particular stance and style. The invention is useable with short and long golf shafts further enhancing the adjustability. Furthermore, the club head is adjustable for any type of putting surface.